The present invention relates, in general, to catheter assemblies, and, more particularly, to catheter anchoring assemblies.
Assemblies used to anchor a catheter to a patient during administration of intravenous fluids to that patient have been subject to several drawbacks. These assemblies were often difficult to attach to the patient, and once attached, were subject to movement if the patient moved. This problem was especially onorous if the patient was small, such as a child.
This difficulty engendered anchoring devices intended to quickly and securely attach a catheter to a patient. Examples of such anchoring devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,161,177, 4,194,504, and 4,198,973, wherein wings are provided and are taped to a patient.
While these known devices do alleviate the anchoring problem somewhat, they are not entirely successful and are still somewhat difficult to manipulate. However, even more important than the above drawback to known catheter anchoring assemblies, these devices do not approach a second significant drawback inherent in such devices. This second problem involves kinking of the catheter tube if the patient moves.
Kinking, as used herein, involves the bending of a catheter tube. This kinking may be sufficient to restrict the flow of IV fluid, or possibly shut off such IV fluid flow altogether. It is evident that kinking to any significant degree may be dangerous to the patient, and certainly inhibits any treatment administered due to the interruption of the desired IV administration.
The kinking problem can be overcome somewhat by the addition of materials to the catheter tube which are intended to stiffen the tube and help that tube resist kinking. However, such tube property changes cannot be significant enough to obviate the kinking problems due to other considerations involved in such elements.
The kinking problem is especially significant in small catheters, such as might be used on small children. Small children are the patients most likely to move enough to create a catheter kinking problem, thereby exacerbating the problem.
Accordingly, there is need for a device which is easily manipulated by a nurse, or other such personnel, and securely anchors a catheter tube on a patient while preventing kinking of the catheter tube.